Danger signal for bridges



July I, 1941. c w wALDAHL I 2,247,980

DANGER SIGNAL 1 012 BRIDGES" 7 Filed March 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 5 74 C. iflifaZzZahZ INVENTOR,

BY M,

A TTORNEYS.

y 1941- c. w. WALDAHL 2,247,980

DANGER SIGNAL FOR BRIDGES Filed'March 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2% C. Wflmkl INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 1, 1941 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE DANGER SIGNAL FOR BRIDGES Clarence Willan Waldahl, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application March 19, 1940, Serial No. 324,861

3 Claims.

This invention aims to provide a novel means whereby, when there is high water at a bridge, either a railroad bridge or a highway bridge, a signal will be given, admonishing train operators, the drivers of vehicles, and pedestrians that dangerously high water exists.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in vertical section, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being in the positions which they will assume when the device is set and when danger ously high water conditions do not exist;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the parts in the positions-which they will assume after the Water has risen, and after the signal has been put into operation;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The letter S indicates any suitable means for supporting a casing I adjacent to a bridge, in such position that when the water W rises to a dangerous stage, the casing I will be subjected to the rising water.

A partition 2 extends across the casing I from side to side, and across the casing from top to bottom. Intermediate its upper and lower edges, the partition 2 is supplied with an ofiset 3. The partition 2 defines a tank 4 in one end of the casing I. In the opposite end of the casing I is secured an inverted L-shaped partition 5, extended across the casing from side to side, but of less height than the partition 2. The partitions 2 and 5 form, in one end of the casing I, a water tight compartment 6 for certain operating instrumentalities which will be alluded to hereinafter. On the bottom of the casing I is fixed a nipple I, communicating with the space between the partitions 2 and 5, the nipple being closed by a cap 8. The nipple I and the cap 8 afiord access to the compartment 6, should such access be necessary or desirable.

A partition 9 extends across the casing I, from side to side, and is supplied at its lower edge with an angularly disposed stop flange III. The partition 9 extends'downwardly from the top of the casing I but terminates opposite to the upper portion of the offset 3 in the partition 2.

The partition 9 and the upper portion of the partition 2 form a receptacle II in the casing I, access to the receptacle being possible, because the top of the casing I carries a moveable, water tight lid I2. Between the stop flange III of the partition 9 and the offset 3 of the partition 2, there exists an opening l4 in the bottom of the receptacle II. -The receptacle II is adapted to contain solid material I5, which is readily soluble in water, the material I5 being supported on a closure I9 for the opening I4, the closure being an element which will be described more fully hereinafter. In order to hold the solid, soluble material I5 in place, on the closure I9, and to.

prevent the receptacle I I from having an unnecessary capacity, a triangular filler I6 is secured in the upper, inner angle of the receptacle II, against the partition 9 and the top of the easing I.

A guide tube II, of any desired length, is secured at It in the top of the casing I, and extends downwardly into the compartment 6, adjacent to the upper portion of the partition'Z, The closure I9 (hereinbefore alluded to) is hingedly mounted at 20 in the upper part of the offset 3 of the partition 2, the closure having a rectangular arm 2|, projecting into the compartment 6, below the guide tube II. The oflset 3 in the partition 2 is for the reception of the arm 2| of the closure or trigger I9, when the arm is in the position delineated in Fig. 2.

In the bottom of the casing I, there is an inlet opening 22, communicating with the tank 4. The opening 22 is surrounded by a resilient, annular seat 23, adapted to receive a valve 24, pivotally mounted on a vertically movable radius rod 25, hingedly mounted on the bottom of the casing I. When the water is below the bottom of the casing I, the valve 24 cooperates with the seat 23 and closes the inlet opening 22. Thus, moisture is prevented from entering the empty tank 4 and finding its way to the solid soluble material I5, to the deterioration of that material. The valve 24, however, is somewhat buoyant, and when the water W enters the tank 4, as shown in Fig. 2 the valve tends to open, as in Fig, 2, thereby facilitating the entrance of the water into the tank 4.

A weight 26, preferably a rod, is mounted for reciprocation in the guide tube I1, and to the upper end of the weight 26, a flexible element 21 is attached.

The flexible element 21 may be used to operate a signal of any desired kind, such as a block signal (not shown), but since any sort of signals may be used, the simple signal next to be described may be taken as typical of any preferred signal.

The signal may include a box-like body 28, provided with ventilating openings 29. nal is so placed that it can be seen by pedestrians, the drivers of automobiles, or the operators of trains approaching a bridge. On its opposite sides and near its lower end, the body 28 of the signal is supplied with green bulls eyes 30, and above the bulls eyes 30, the body of the signal carries red bulls eyes 3|, the colors of the signals The sigmitted to swing downwardly, and the weight of rod 26 moves downwardly, the flexible element 2'! raising the cage 32, until the lantern 33 shines through the red bulls eyes 3|, and aflords a danger signal.

The device is simple in construction, but will be found thoroughly advantageous for affording a signal in the event of rising water beneath a bridge or other structure.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed'is:-

1. In a device for indicating rising water, a

casing having a partition defining a tank and a compartment, the casing having a Water inlet for 30 and 3| being, of course, a matter of selection. A cage 32 is mounted for reciprocation, vertically, in the body 28 of the signal. The cage 32 is supplied with a lamp 33 of any desiredzcon struction. The lamp may 'be a simple lantern, supported on the bottom of the cage 2, and prevented from; overturning by engaging the bail of the lanternwith a hook 34 on the upper part ofgthe cage. v

The flexible element 21 enters the body 28 of th'signal slidably, the cage 32 being slidable on one run of t he flexible element. The flexible element 2'1 isrove over direction-changing idlers 35 mounted on the upper part of the body 28, and one end of the flexible element is connected at 36 to the "top of the cage 32, .;Assuming that the device is set, as shown in Fig. 1, the solid soluble material I5 is supported on-the closure l9, and the arm 2| of the closure extends intothe compartment 6, and supports the rod 26 in anelevated position, the cage-32 being lowered until the lantern 33 or its equivalent shines through the green bulls eyes 30, a safety signal thus being aiforded.

If, however, water in the stream rises, as shown at W in Fig. 2, the water enters the tank 4 by way of the opening 22. The closure I!) does not stop-the opening hermetically, and the water finds'its'wayinto the receptacle dissolving away the retainer IS. The leaky closure I9; is released, the arm 2| of the closure is per- "the tank, a receptacle in the tank and having an opening in its bottom, a leaky closure for the opening, hingedly mounted on the partition, the

closure including an arm extended into the compartment, a weight movable in the compartment, a signal operatively connected with the weight, and material in the receptacle, said material beingsoluble in water and resting on the closure, to maintain the arm in the path of thedownward movement ofthe weight. V

I 2. In -a device for indicating rising water, a receptacle having an-opening in its bottom. a leaky closure for the opening, hingedly mounted on onewall-of the receptacle, the closure includ-. ing an arm extended out of the receptacle, a weight movable externally of the receptacle, a signal operatively connected with the weight, and material in the receptacle, said material being soluble in water and resting on the closure, to maintain the arm in the, path of the downward movement of the weight.

3.'In a device for indicating rising water, a signal, actuating means for the signal, a movably-mounted trigger cooperating with the actuating means to hold it in inoperative position, a retainer on the trigger and acting on the trig ger by gravity,.. and counter .to the actuating means, to cause the trigger to maintain the actuating means in inoperative position, and means for supportingthedevice in such position that tainer being. soluble in water, to reduce the weight on the trigger. V j CLARENCE IWILLAN WALDAHL. 

